Activists described climate impacts in their countries and pushed for stronger youth representation in UN negotiations.
Thousands marched to the gates of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, peacefully blocking the venue to raise their message. Brazilian youth groups, Indigenous communities, and international activists joined the protest to demand action during the critical climate summit.
Rachelle Junsay of Climate Action Philippines said youth feel frustrated inheriting a damaged planet. She criticized decision-makers for excluding actual victims from negotiations and discussions.
Protesters Return After Three-Year Pause
Protesters demonstrated outside UN climate talks for the first time since 2021. Organizers presented the conference as a platform celebrating Indigenous peoples.
Earlier in the week, demonstrators disrupted the venue twice, including one incident on Tuesday that left two security guards with minor injuries. Saturday’s march ended short of the venue while sessions continued.
Many protesters celebrated the freedom to demonstrate openly in Belem, unlike previous summits in Azerbaijan, the UAE, and Egypt. Youth leader Ana Heloisa Alves called the march the largest she has attended, emphasizing the strength of collective voices.
Alves protested to protect the Tapajos River from commercial development, carrying signs declaring, “The river is for the people.”
Advocates Push for Broader Participation
Pablo Neri, coordinator for Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra in Pará, urged organizers to involve more participants to reflect a growing, people-driven climate movement.
The climate talks continue through Friday, 21 November. Analysts and attendees do not expect major agreements but hope for progress on past commitments, including financial support for poorer nations.
The United States is absent from the talks. President Donald Trump has mocked climate change as a hoax and withdrawn the country from the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aimed to limit global warming.
